


Can't Help Falling in Love with You

by leafyxthiefy



Series: Shuffled Playlist [11]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Child Neglect, Elvis - Freeform, Love Song, M/M, Song fic, What is love, coin collecting, happy birthday present, law being a dork, look antique coins, suppressed emotions, vending machine talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-08-28 23:27:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8467006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leafyxthiefy/pseuds/leafyxthiefy
Summary: Love was a foreign concept to him. It was something he wasn't taught as he grew up, and something he hadn't discovered yet. Maybe he just wasn't meant for love, maybe love was meant for everyone but him? That's what he believed; up until he met a certain friend and he began to question what he knew to be true.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Amaranth_PaiPai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amaranth_PaiPai/gifts).



> Ok so this one's late introduction is completely on me, I meant to get this out last weekend, but I got distracted. I'd still like to wish a Happy belated birthday to one of the sweetest chicks I know and love, AmaranthPaiPai, this one's for you my dear! Enjoy!~
> 
> Song / Movie: Can't Help Falling in Love with You - Elvis
> 
> Warning: Neglect, self doubt, Undervalue of self, Unbeta'd
> 
> I own nothing in regards to One Piece nor any referenced media.

Luffy had always had friends. He was always quick to like people and invite them into his circle with smiles and warmth. But Luffy didn't love them.

Well that statement isn't entirely true, because Luffy _did_ care very deeply for his friends, he loved them in the way one cherished precious moments, and things, but he didn't love _love_ them if that made any sense.

_Wise men say_

Luffy had been taught at an early age that the notion of Love was not something he should seek out or something that was given out freely.

His father had instilled this mindset into him. Dragon had lost Luffy's mother when he was no more than two years into the world. The details of her death were still sketchy to Luffy, and his father refused to give any information about it to him.

Instead of providing answers for a curious boy, Dragon's eyes went distant and the light in them turned harsh and chilling. Dragon would go quiet and leave the room, then he would proceed to ignore his son's questions for the next several days until Luffy promised he would never bring up his mother again.

Dragon did love Luffy in his own way. But he didn't know how to express it, and with the loss of his wife, he didn't know he was wronging the growing boy.

And so this was how he was raised. A boy who lit up like the sun but was just as distant to everyone around him.

Luffy thought the behavior was normal, not loving people that is. He didn't know that he could, or rather was allowed to care for people more than he already did.

Luffy supposed he was fine with that until he wasn't.

_Only fools rush in_

It hadn't been an instantaneous friendship like all of his other ones. The friendship with this particular person had been odd at best.

Luffy had met Law one day when he was in line for a vending machine, eagerly awaiting his turn for a bag of barbeque flavored chips. He was behind two other people, and soon enough there was someone waiting in line behind him.

Luffy didn't think twice about it, he simply continued to wait, fidgeting with a coin as he was prone to do when he was forced to be still for too long. His absent behavior continued for a couple more seconds before a deep voice spoke up.

"You aren't thinking of using that coin for the machine...are you?"

Luffy didn't hear his name, so he didn't think much of the statement and took the next spot once the person in front of the line left.

"O-Oi, kid." that same voice spoke up behind him, and Luffy couldn't help but turn his head.

Luffy tilted his head in confusion as he looked around, everyone in the area was engaged with their own groups and conversations, the guy in front of him getting his snack and leaving the machine, giving Luffy the next spot in line. But Luffy didn't advance because, a pair of golden eyes were on him. The guy from earlier had spoken to him.

"I asked if you were gonna use that coin in the machine." he repeated glancing from Luffy to the coin.

Luffy's brow furrowed as he followed the others line of sight which was directed at his coin.

"Yeah?" Luffy said with growing confusion.

"Well you can't." the taller boy grumbled.

"Why not? It's my half dollar." Luffy said, his voice growing defensive while he glared at the older teen.

_But I can't help falling in love with you_

"Because that's a collectible and using it to buy whatever that machine has isn't worth it." the other said with a frown.

Luffy only blinked at him, unsure of what exactly was transpiring. He couldn't use the coin because it was collectible? Money was collected? Hell if he knew, as far as his knowledge of money went, it was used to buy stuff, like his chips, or was hoarded by people like Nami. And he knew for a fact that she wasn't collecting, that was just Nami being Nami.

The boy sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair and muttered something about calmness and corals under his breath. "I don't mean to be rude. If I'm acting rude I… I apologize. It's just that, that coin." the boy pointed at Luffy's hand. "Is one that was only made for a limited time, it's really hard to get, so it's worth more than all the shit that's in the vending machine. Don't put it to waste."

Luffy stared at him for a long time before a pout made its way to his lips. "But it's the only half dollar I have, if I don't use it then what will I use to pay the chips?"

_Shall I stay?_

"Is that seriously what you're worried about?" the older boy sounded frustrated. However, before Luffy could answer, he walked past him and began to put money into the machine.

"Hey! I was next, you cutted!" Luffy cried out and reached for the guy's shoulder.

But the other didn't get angry when Luffy touched him, nor did he say anything about the accusation. Instead he asked. "I'll pay for it. So which snack do you want?"

Luffy was stunned for a moment before his signature smile was back on his face. "Really, you'd do that?"

The taller boy nodded, "Yeah."

"You're nice I like you." Luffy said without a second thought and pointed to his preferred choice of potato chips. "That one!"

"Is that all you want?"

"Mhm." Luffy hummed and snatched the chips as soon as they were dispensed. "Thanks a lot man!" he said and tore the bag open, digging into his favorite snack.

"Just promise me you'll take better care of that coin." he said and started to insert more coins into the machine.

Luffy pressed his lips together as he chewed on his delicious chips. "Nah."

The other froze and turned to look at him with a glare that would have made most men turn away. But Luffy only smiled in return.

"I can't promise I'll remember to not spend it, or lose it. So;" Luffy thrust his open hand at the stranger. "You take care of it."

A look of confusion crossed his face as he looked at the coin in Luffy's hand and then back at him, frowning. "You do realize what you're doing right?"

_Would it be a sin_

Luffy smiled and nodded, "Of course I do. You really care about this old coin for some reason and I can't keep your promise, so instead of breaking it. I'll let you have it."

The other stared at him skeptically for a moment, not moving to take the coin but also not refusing. "But it's a collectors item."

Luffy shrugged, "I wouldn't know really, it looks like any other coin to me. So you take care of it."

Silence followed Luffy's words for a moment before the stranger finally reached out and took the coin gingerly, his golden eyes coming to meet Luffy's chestnut brown. "Thank you."

"Shishishi. Don't mention it! My name's Luffy D. Monkey, thanks again for the chips!" Luffy beamed.

"Law Trafalgar, you're welcome… and, uh, thanks." he said with the faintest of smiles.

_If I can't help falling in love with you?_

* * *

Luffy didn't see Law again for a good while. In fact he had nearly forgotten about the boy with a fondness of coins until he bumped into him again. This time it was at a shopping center.

Luffy had been there with Zoro, but it seemed that the green haired teen had ended up taking a wrong turn and had gotten lost again. Thus Luffy was on his search for him, though with his equally bad directional skills, he wasn't having much luck finding his best friend.

_Like a river flows  
_ _Surely to the sea_

Luffy started by checking every store, and along his search he came into an antique shop, thinking that maybe Zoro would be drawn into the shop to browse through their sword inventory.

Luffy entered the shop, ringing the small bell poised above the door and walked around the space. His eyes wandered over the laid out objects that had either passed the test of time or had been brought in recently to be given new homes.

Eventually he made it to the sword section and had to pout when his best friend was nowhere in sight; the only person there was the girl who liked to argue with him for hours on end about the ancient blades.

Luffy turned to leave but quickly figured that if Zoro was going to show up anywhere in the center, it would be there, to look longfully at the swords and maybe finally placing one on layaway.

So Luffy took to browsing again, making a turn to his favorite item in the shop; and soon enough he bumped into someone else. He "oomph'd" and pulled away with a string of apologies that died the moment he met those impossibly golden eyes.

_Darling, so it goes  
_ _Some things are meant to be_

"Oh it's you, Luffy-ya." the man said, not at all bothered that Luffy had collided into him.

And to Luffy's added embarrassment, he could not remember the name of the other teen. He racked his mind for something, anything, last or first name from that first meeting they had back in the school courtyard by the vending machine. He came out somewhat empty handed, but went with the first name he found. "Oh hey, Torao. Shishishi, sorry about that, I was distracted by that little ship over there, it's shaped like a sheep."

"Torao?" the other repeated with a slight frown, testing the name on his lips.

Luffy only beamed, hiding the fact that he had completely forgotten his name. "Yep, sounds cool, huh? You can give me a nickname too if you want."

He frowned, "I'm good, thanks. But please call me Law, I don't know what a Torao is."

Luffy laughed, "You look like a Torao though, and it sounds awesome."

Law rolled his eyes and looked back to the glass counter, that Luffy only then realized was where all the coins were kept. So that was what brought the other man to the shop.

"Do you want the ship?" Law asked and Luffy hummed for a moment before his head snapped up in alert.

"Y-no," he smiled sheepishly, "Nah, don't worry about it I was just here waiting for a friend to show up, I was hoping on meeting him here." Luffy explained, but it seemed that Law was not listening to him.

Instead Law called for the store merchant and motioned him over to them, explained that he wanted the little sheep ship and paid for it then and there. Luffy only stared wide eyed as he was presented with the little figurine he had been eyeing for the better part of two years.

_Take my hand,  
_ _Take my whole life, too_

"Torao, you didn't have to, I can't–"

"Quiet, Luffy-ya." Law cut in and slipped his hands into his jean pockets. "That measly bag of chips wasn't enough of a repayment for the coin that you gave me." he said and when Luffy went to protest again, Law shook his head.

"I'm not taking it back and the store has a strict No Refund policy, so spare us the argument and accept it… are you hungry?"

Luffy's stomach answered for him, but he couldn't leave Zoro defenseless at the center, so he had to decline.

The small smile that was growing on Law's lips quickly turned into a frown, but Luffy explained the situation he had found himself in, and that seemed to appease the other. To a degree that is. Law insisted he grant a final thank you to Luffy and take him out, and in time they came to an agreement, Luffy would meet Law at Baratie the following day for lunch.

_For I can't help falling in love with you_

One lunch turned hanging out, and hanging out quickly became nights out to arcades, theatres, games and dinners. Luffy very much enjoyed Law's company and he quickly became one of his best friends.

_Like a river flows  
_ _urely to the sea_

"He likes you, doesn't he?" Zoro said one day Luffy was hanging out at his house.

"Huh?" Luffy asked from his spot on the floor and flipped another page of the comic he was reading.

"That Trafalgar guy," Zoro rumbled flipping past yet another channel on the television. "He likes you."

"Shishishi, of course Torao likes me, he's my friend, silly." Luffy said flipping another page.

"That's not what I mean Lu, I meant he _like_ likes you, haven't you seen the way he smiles around you?" Zoro asked glancing at Luffy.

Luffy didn't outwardly adknowledge Zoro's comment, save for a slight hunch to his shoulders and muttered a quick, "Haven't noticed."

Zoro's brow furrowed as he sat up from his seat, forgetting the remote and looked at his best friend who was staring way too intently at the page before him. Zoro would bet that Luffy longer reading the words either, not with the way he had gone so rigid. "Luffy, I don't think Law could make it any more clear that he likes you… If you don't like him back, all you have to do is tell him. I'm sure he'll back off."

"Mhm. Yeah… Hey Zoro, isn't the championship game on tonight? Burgess vs Cavendish?" Luffy asked suddenly sitting up and setting the comic aside after snatching the remote.

His voice was filled with forced cheer, and Luffy knew that Zoro could hear it; hell _he_ could hear it, but still he persisted. "Who do you think'll win Zoro?"

_Darling, so it goes  
_ _Some things are meant to be_

Zoro had dropped that conversation, and they didn't speak about it again. A day passed, then two, a week went by, and soon a month and more.

Luffy couldn't pretend like it hadn't happened though. Because it had, and he began to notice the truths behind Zoro's words. Law did act differently around him, and Luffy began to act differently too, but not for the better.

And unfortunately, for Luffy, Law was able to pick up on the changes. What had been a small blossoming smile began to dim until a frown was in its place. And man, did Luffy miss that smile. But he said nothing. Instead he continued to keep Law at arms distance, all the while wanting to be closer to him.

But Luffy didn't know how to do that. Luffy didn't know how to _express_ the new feeling in his heart and as such he resorted to doing as his father had done with him in his childhood. He stayed away from Law.

_Take my hand,  
_ _Take my whole life, too_

Luffy continued his dance of avoidance and distance until he was cornered one fateful day.

Bepo had invited Luffy to Law's surprise birthday party, and no matter how much he tried Luffy couldn't think of a good enough excuse to miss the event. Maybe the problem was that he didn't want to. No matter how much time he had spent avoiding and dodging Law, Luffy knew that he couldn't miss the party. He wouldn't miss it.

The celebration was fun, and Luffy easily forgot his troubles, enjoying the merriment that accompanied his best friends, his cherished people.

Even Law managed a smile or two here and there. And only then did Luffy realize just how much he missed being at the receiving end of those smiles. He was glad that Law was having fun, he deserved to be happy, Luffy knew that Law deserved every ounce of happiness that the world had to offer.

"Talk to him." A voice next to Luffy made him jump out of his skin and nearly drop the plate of meat in his hands.

"What the hell Zoro!" Luffy exclaimed and pouted stuffing his face once again.

"Talk to him." Zoro repeated, and when Luffy didn't immediately answer, Zoro frowned and snatched the plate from Luffy's hands. "Look Lu, usually I'd let you deal with whatever it is you have going on, but not this time. No one can break you out of this melancholy shit you have going on and we hate seeing you like this. So," Zoro shrugged a shoulder as he held the plate over his head out of Luffy's reach. "Here's my ultimatum, talk to Trafalgar, sort out what you need to and _when_ that gloomy look is out of your eyes, then I'll give you this."

"Stingy." Luffy grumbled and stuffed his hands into his pockets. However, instead of Luffy eagerly rectifying the issue at hand, he turned from his friend and did the only thing he knew. He ran from uncertainty. "I'll see you in school, Zoro."

_For I can't help falling in love with you_

"Luffy-ya!" The voice behind him had Luffy freezing in his tracks, he knew that voice. The one from the boy in the vending machine line, that also belonged to the same guy in the antiques store. The voice of one of his closest friends, someone he cherished more dearly than the others, someone that he _loved_.

"Are you listening to me Luffy-ya?" Law asked, his voice getting closer.

Luffy couldn't respond though, too caught up on trying to move, yet wanting to stay. Needing to turn around to look at Law, even though he knew no smile would greet him; his voice sounded anything but happy.

"Luffy-ya." Law was behind him now, "Are you… are you okay?"

"No." Luffy's answer was simple, yet so full of emotion.

Law was quiet for a moment, and very gently he laid a hand on Luffy's shoulder. "You're shaking… are you ill?"

"Y-yes. No! Maybe? I don't know." Luffy was losing what little emotional control he had, his voice breaking despite his efforts. "I just–"

"If you aren't feeling well I should take you home, the weather isn't exactly warm anymore." Law interjected and wrapped that same arm around Luffy's shoulders, guiding him in the direction of Luffy's home.

Together they walked in silence until Luffy stopped walking, making Law pause with him.

"What are you doing out here Torao, your party's back there."

"I could ask you the same thing, Luffy-ya. Since when are you one to miss an event." Law asked in return and sighed. "But if you must know, I followed you because I'm worried for you."

Luffy's brow furrowed as he chanced a glance at Law, frowning as he made sense of his words. "Why are you worried, I'm not sick. I just… I ate some bad meat, maybe."

"You're a terrible liar, Luffy-ya. I was thoroughly convinced long ago that your stomach lining is well beyond our current evolutionary period. But I am worried, because although you've done an exemplary… uh great job at hiding it behind a smile; it's clear that you're not happy. Want to tell me what's going on?"

Luffy opened his mouth to protest, to deny that everything was A-okay but instead he looked away."Nothing's wrong, Torao. I'm fine."

"You realize that's usually code for 'I need help'?" Law asked and slipped his hands into his pockets. "And you're probably wondering what do I care, right? You're probably thinking that none of this is my business and I should keep my nose out of it and leave you alone. Trust me I've pondered this subject for months now. But I _do_ care, and I want to help, and you want to know why?"

"Why?" Luffy's voice was a strained squeak, high pitched and barely audible past the roaring in his ears.

"Because, I like you Luffy-ya." Law stated simply and looked over to Luffy. "And I don't like seeing that sadness in your eyes."

"B– Torao…" Luffy couldn't grasp the words that Law was saying. "What are you…?"

"I'm not asking you to return my feelings, nor am I telling you this so you'll open up to me, Luffy-ya. I'm just letting you know my reasons for wanting to help, for wanting to see you light up like you used to… I miss your smile."

"I, "Luffy hesitated, but he pushed on, battling every instinct that told him to shut down his emotions until a small smile rose to his lips. "I've missed your smile too, Law."

Maybe it was possible for Luffy to _love_.

_For I can't help falling in love with you_

 

**Author's Note:**

> I have a serious issue in making things longer than I mean them to. This is like a 7 lyric song for fucks sake! But I liked it, and though LawLu isn't my current obsession, I still love it. They're chemistry is just so right you know? Law and Luffy sharing this broken sense of the world is my new aesthetic for them and don't I need it to fuck me up lol. This seriously could have been longer [like multi chap long] but it's a songfic and I've stalled in gifting my lovely friend long enough.
> 
> So here you go my dear, and again Happy belated birthday!
> 
> Please tell me what you think? Every thought is appreciated. Till next time!~


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